Finding the Wonder (#fmfparty)

Books...I'm a firm believer that one can never have too many books! Books have a way of capturing our imaginations, taking us to new places (both in a figurative and literal sense), and transporting us away from the chaos and noise of our world, at least for a little while. Books delight, inspire, teach, guide, and unite.

While this homeschool year has taken on a life of its own through dealing with behavioral and character issues causing us to stray far away from our lesson plans (where we are a month ahead in two subjects and a week behind in others), reading serves as the glue that binds mother and son/teacher and student back together and reassures us that everything will (eventually) work itself out.

Reading quiets, settles, and brings to life all the ideas, imagination, and creativity that video games and TV steal from my child (oh, that's another topic in itself--using technology as a baby sitter so moms can buy time to get our stuff done--guilty).

Reading brings us back to the pure beauty, simplicity, and delight of books. Books are still one of the cheapest yet timeless forms of entertainment.

And, reading is where we find adventure, suspense, gore (google Phineas Gage), strategy, heroism, chivalry, generosity, character, and so much more.

We find wonder through discovering new (well, old) worlds with historical characters. We find joy when we unearth the treasure that we spent chapters looking for. We find satisfaction when good triumphs over evil. We find hilarity through antics, cleverness, or mishaps of fictional characters. And we find togetherness as we read while rocking away in a rocking chair (although rocking my child who is now about foot shorter than me is almost impossible), while snuggled up under Ninja Turtle blankets by the book lamp just before bed, by the sunlight of a window in the early hours of the morning because we can't wait any longer to see what happens, or while waiting in the van before another appointment/meeting.

Tonight, I simply want to share some of the wonder that we've found over the past two weeks. It is that wonder that keeps us persevering with homeschool and reminds me that this investment and relationship is worth it. It's that wonder that keeps my child begging for "just one more chapter" or who thanks me for grounding him from TV and video games so he can see how fun life is with books. And it's the wonder that prompts those secretive or amused glances between mother and son as we find something while we are out that reminds us of a story we are reading.

This book has been a household favorite since our son's anaphylactic diagnosis at age 3.

Find action and adventure with cowboys and bandits like Wild Bill Hickok, Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Geronimo, & Butch Cassidy. Great for a boy's imagination while sneaking in history and geography!

We just got this book last week and couldn't put it down. We are already reading this book for a second time! It truly captivates a little boy's imagination with everything from robots, pirates, ghosts, and knights! This book has it all!

These two books are my son's contribution when he wants to read aloud! They are easy favorites that build his confidence in reading (plus, he really does like to hop on pop and has been since he was old enough to crawl on top of his pop)!

"The books are more fun than the video game!" They make a great substitute if you're grounded from Minecraft. I have to admit that even I secretly read ahead because I wanted to know how Book 2 was going to end! My guys will not let me live that one down! They also learned tried and true secrets to the game (my son had my husband try them out for him)!

We still aren't done with this book, but it brings science and adventure together through ballooning, an unbelievable diamond mine discovery, crazy household inventions, and a massive volcano!

Tonight, I got suckered into a Little Critter marathon at bedtime! Simple and colorful! Plus these books bring back memories for me since a couple were from my collection that I had when I was a kid!

And, there's nothing like a good Dr. Seuss collection to expand vocabulary and highlight creativity!

These aren't Dr. Seuss, but they are the books I'm working on right now. (There are days when I feel like I have Book ADD...but some days, I'm in a mood for one subject and other days I want something totally different or not as heavy...lol).

Tonight after I finished the last Little Critter book, my son flashed me a secret message that reminds me of the power behind books, of the pure joy of reading together, and of how much these moments mean to him:  

 May you find the wonder of reading a great book this week!

*Five Minute Friday (#FMFparty) gives writers a word prompt. We are encouraged to write whatever comes to mind about that word in just five minutes.  No editing, no perfection, only writing from the heart.  To find out more, visit http://katemotaung.com/five-minute-friday/.  This week's word is "FIND".

Learning to Bow // five minute friday

“Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God.” Proverbs 1:7a (Message)

Last year, God led us to Proverbs 1:7a to define the goal of our homeschool as this verse answers the what and the why of our motivation to homeschool. It's not only our goal, but it is the foundation of our educational philosophy. 

However, we have lost sight of that goal and we’ve only completed our first month of the school year. Somewhere between the battle of the wills, lack of support from friends who used to think homeschooling was great but now think we’re crazy for continuing with it, and dealing with a child who has a great brain but uses it only when he wants to, we have completely lost sight of the bigger picture.

As soon as I saw this week’s word ("learn"*), Proverbs 1:7 came to mind reminding me of what learning is all about. God led us down the path of homeschooling so we could learn together as a family what it means to start with Him and how to bow down to Him in everything. It is a verse both for parent and child, teacher and student.

It sounds simple in theory but it’s in the middle of the battle of the wills when I’m feeling rather ungodly that I need to bow down to God instead of bow down to my way and what I feel in that moment. God's response has a way of diffusing situations and lending much-needed perspective. Bowing down to God when my friends back away means loving them regardless and standing firm in what we believe knowing that following God requires sacrifice and obedience. And bowing down to God when my child refuses to apply himself means seeking Him for direction, patience, love, and guidance as I respond to my child.

Bowing down to God isn’t just something I do but it’s something I have to teach my child to do as well. It’s teaching my child that we all are under God’s authority and showing him what that relationship looks like. It’s taking the time to explain the “why” behind our rules and rather than making Christianity look like a bunch of do’s and don’ts. It’s giving God the respect that He deserves as we live out our lives respecting one another. It’s making God’s Word, His ways, and Him a priority in all that we do. It’s intentionally living out Deuteronomy 11:18-21 (the very passage that I have so resisted using to illustrate why we homeschool because it is so overused and thrown out carelessly in too many circles):

“Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, like the days of the heavens above the earth.”

I feel like our school days lately are 80% dealing with heart issues and 20% “education”. And this week has been flat-out discouraging, frustrating, and exhausting! We have moments where my child totally excels, applies himself, and hungers for knowledge. But then we have those moments that threaten to ruin the entire day because everything simply falls apart for him and we choose to end our day early to save the relationship and deal with the behavioral issues at hand. 

How I needed to meditate on Proverbs 1:7 tonight, to remember the why, and to reflect on what is most important for us to learn this year! While homeschooling is exhausting and challenging work at times, it truly is excellent training ground for both the parent and child/the teacher and student to learn what it means to bow down to God in every area of life. 

*Five Minute Friday (#FMFparty) gives writers a word prompt. We are encouraged to write whatever comes to mind about that word in just five minutes.  No editing, no perfection, only writing from the heart.  To find out more, visit http://katemotaung.com/five-minute-friday/.  This week's word is "LEARN".

Legos...More Than Just Play

Boys and Legos--they go together hand in hand! Lego blocks unleash creativity in a variety of ways even in homeschooling.

When we first started homeschooling three years ago, I was so stuck on formal education and was appalled at the thought of bringing bubba (blankie), stuffed animals, and even Legos to class. It didn't take long to realize that I was fighting a losing battle and that these things actually enhanced our classroom as we found creative uses for them. Since then, we've found more uses for Legos in our classroom than we can count. And, we've seen that there is value in stuffed animals joining in the fun, especially when they all "need" a turn to spell a word (many chances for repetition) or when they all want to take turns to read in their unique "voices".

Some days, it takes a great deal of patience on my end to "teach" a classroom of Lego minifigures because they add a lot of excitement and distraction to the lesson. It would be a lot quicker and easier if my child would simply answer the questions in his normal voice so we can move on to the next question or lesson. But if I gloss over these moments, I lose valuable opportunities to reinforce lessons, spelling words, reading, and story retelling skills in a way that makes learning real and fun to my child. And if a stuffed animal makes my child actually want to pick up a pencil and write, I'm all for it! There is a time and a place for Legos, stuffed animals, and even blankie, so don't discount what toys can do to transform tough subjects, diffuse frustration, and increase learning.

The pictures below show ways that we have incorporated toys into our homeschool over the past three years. I hope it encourages you to think outside the box and embrace the value that toys can add to your homeschool!  

Creating a scene for story retelling.

Piglet is up next!

Each animal reads a line on the All About Reading
practice sheets.

NoNut rallied the troops to help him with grammar!

Lego Calendars are great for learning days and months.

Creating your own Lego pencil holders make writing more attractive. 

Exploring the Arts by going to the first showing of The Lego Movie while all the other kids are in school.

Lego History -- burying the sacrophagus in the pyramid

Lego Addition

Lego Math

Lego Addition

We graduated to Lego multiplication this year.

Lego Syllable Division

Each Lego Minifigure lined up to read a line on the practice sheet.

Lego Cops & Robbers:  The robbers had to read a page in order to be released.

Actually excited to write!

Lego syllables

Lego Science

Lego Science (making glaciers with water, Hot Wheels, & Legos)

Show & Tell and story telling (sharing w/grandparents)

Duplo Spelling

Lego Science

Of course, we take every opportunity to weave in Minecraft!

Lego spelling

Skip counting and multiplication with the troops.

Nerf gun geography (trying to locate the Indian Ocean)

Nerf gun syllables

Spelling (musical-style)

NoNut was determined to make suction cup shoes in attempt to walk on the ceiling to get away from the girls at church. 

It ended up being the best lesson about gravity.

His carefully designed and hand-crafted suction cup shoes!

It's your turn! Have fun being creative with toys in your homeschool! :)

RevQuest -- Where History Comes Alive

Mystery, secrecy (well, as much as you can have with amateur spies), intrigue and tons of fun describe our first experience with RevQuest:  The Old Enemy at Colonial Williamsburg.  RevQuest was exactly what our family needed to rediscover the charm and excitement of Colonial Williamsburg (CW)!

CW has been a part of my life since childhood as we've celebrated birthdays, holidays, anniversaries and school years there.  We are very familiar with the same sights and sounds that CW has to offer.  Some sounds, like the fife and drum corps, I can never get enough of, yet some of the houses and buildings have lost their luster over the years and we can recite some of the same spheels when we walk in the apothecary or tour the Palace.  However, RevQuest brought back that element of surprise and discovery that left us wanting more of CW!

Over the past year or so, we've seen RevQuest spy missions advertised.  We've found random clues and saw bandana-wearing families along Duke of Gloucester Street which further piqued our interest.  As we were deciding where to go on vacation this fall, we looked at CW once again because our child seemed to have the mental and physical stamina to attempt (and enjoy) this spy mission.  While we were doing RevQuest mainly for him, we were delighted to watch how RevQuest drew in our entire family as the mission progressed. 

We tried the optional online mission of RevQuest first to see if it was even worth doing in person.  Of course, I made the deciphering much harder than what it should've been but my husband and in-laws figured it out and completed the online mission quite easily.  We texted in our final answer and received a text back from CW stating that we can pick up a reward at one of the shops which further enticed us to try out the game in person.

 We picked up our RevQuest bandanas and secret mission orders at the Visitor's Center.  We already had the the RevQuest text # in our phone from the online mission...you use the same number throughout the whole mission to gather clues.  CW's reply texts are instant so you know on the spot whether your deciphering is right or wrong!

Note:  If you are a homeschooler (any state), go to Group Sales where you can receive discounted admission for everyone in your party.  Then go to the Visitor's Center and get 1/2-off yours and your spouse's admission by showing your teacher ID or NOI for the educator discount.  As an educator, you receive 15% off of all book purchases throughout CW as well!  Make sure to leave your email address with Group Services for info and deals.  Apparently they offered an annual CW homeschool membership for $20/person via email...can't beat that!

While at the Visitor's Center, there is a seven-minute intro video outlining the basics of the RevQuest mission, how to get help, and what you need to know, etc.  After that, you open your Top Secret orders where you find everything needed to complete the spy mission (including clues, maps, ciphers, a pencil, and more).  The first stop is with a Williamsburg Agent where you need an alias to use with that agent as well as members of the Committee of the Secret

Correspondence.  This alias comes in the form of clues and a text which we completed during the walk from the Visitor's Center to the Palace area.  These agents are the only ones that can help you with this quest as long as you mention the alias.  The agents are carefully marked so you know who you (and they) can trust with this mission.

One of the coolest parts of RevQuest is that you get a behind-the-scenes look at CW.  Though we started out in public areas, the agents always led us to secret, semi-secluded locations on various properties.  We could open up gates and go down paths that the regular public didn't go down.  We examined trade signs and saw them in a way we never saw them before as they were transformed into directions and clues.  There were moments when we felt like true spies as we "talked" in code with CW actors as we had to ask for documents along the way.  We were constantly on the look out for secret messages and others in the Committee of the Secret Correspondence and we also enjoyed causal game banter with other RevQuesting families along the way. 

The Agents did a superb job acting out their part and involving every child and adult on this secret mission.  They had this air of mystery yet belief and reassurance that with a little work, we actually could complete this mission and in a timely manner.  The Agents had a way of making RevQuest feel like a special experience, not just another visit to CW.

RevQuest truly was a fresh way of looking at CW for all of us--it appealed to my elementary-aged child all the way up to his grandparents.  Sometimes, my son was able to crack the code all by himself and other times, it took all of us working together in order to move to the next phase of the mission.

CW suggests that the play time is about two hours.  It would be two hours if you did each part of the mission back to back.  However, we stopped for lunch, browsed in the stores and houses and worked with our son to complete his children's CW map so he could earn his fourth CW pin.

Note:  Don't forget to pick up a children's CW map at the Visitor's Center or ask any of the CW cast members at the open houses/trades for a children's map.  You don't need to be a part of RevQuest in order to do the children's map.  We loved the way that CW redid this season's children's map because it made it much easier for the younger, shy crowd to complete it.  It gave it more of an "I Spy" feel and actually complemented RevQuest in a way.  

If you are interested in RevQuest, make sure to check out the Colonial Williamsburg/RevQuest website for the mission times because there aren't as many dates and times to meet up with the Agent, French Envoy and Courier in the off-season.  RevQuest runs through November 30th, so it's not too late to schedule a RevQuest field trip.   

Even though my child is on the younger side (second grade) and didn't fully grasp RevQuest and the concept of a secret mission on the outset, it didn't take him long at all to catch on and to get into the game.  He was all too proud of himself when he was able to decipher the messages and he used lunch time to cipher his own name!  It was amazing to see how quickly his interest turned toward ciphering, and the teacher discount came in handy as we walked out with a couple books on secret codes!  My in-laws enjoyed the challenge and family fun as well as mentioned how this reminds them of their favorite TV mini-series, Turn, and they can't wait to bring more family with them next time.  My husband and I enjoyed the novelty of the spy mission and being able to see CW in a new light.  RevQuest breathed new life, info, and perspective into our homeschool and reminded me that teaching history is fun when it's presented well.  We couldn't have asked for a better first RevQuest experience and we look forward to tackling more RevQuest missions in the future! 

Note:  No goods or services were exchanged for this review.  We simply enjoyed the experience and believe it complements the homeschool experience. 

Secret Code

Secret Paths

Secret Clues

Completing the Children's Map (available anytime during the year)

Receiving his prize after completing the map.  The ultimate prize was when this lady told us where we can get free milkshakes in our souvenir cup!  It was even more of a bonus when we discovered they were peanut-allergy friendly!

Showing off his 4th CW pin that he's earned since Kindergarten.